SEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water
4305
EPA-823-F-04-016
August 2004
Fact Sheet
National Listing of Fish Advisories
Summary
For the 12th year since 7 993, EPA is making available to the public its compendium of information on locally issued fish advisories and
safe eating guidelines. This information is provided to EPA annually by states, territories and tribes and EPA makes this information easily
accessible to the public every summer on its web site (http://www.epa.gOV/waterscience/fish/J States, territories and tribes issue fish
consumption advisories and safe eating guidelines for waters in order to inform people about the recommended level of consumption of
fish caught in local waters. U.S. emissions of mercury have declined by almost 50% since 7 990. The 2003 National Listing of Fish
Advisories database shows that the number of safe eating guidelines issued continues to rise rapidly, and that states, territories and tribes
also continue to issue new fish advisories, with most new fishing advisories involving mercury.
The national listing is available on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/.
Background
The states, District of Columbia, territories, and Native
American tribes (for simplicity, hereafter referred to as states)
have primary responsibility for protecting their residents from
the health risks of eating contaminated fish caught in local
waters. Over the years, states have issued fish consumption
advice and developed their own fish advisory programs.
Although 48 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S.
Territory of American Samoa have fish consumption advisories
in place, there is variability state-to-state in the scope and
extent of monitoring, in how frequently previously tested
waters are sampled again, in how decisions are made to place
waters under advisory, and in the specific advice that is provid-
ed when contamination is found in fish. Because of this vari-
ability, it is difficult to draw national conclusions or establish
national trends. However, EPA can and does report on an
annual basis in this Technical Fact Sheet summary information
based on what EPA has compiled from state submissions.
A consumption advisory may include recommendations to
limit or avoid eating certain fish and water-dependent wildlife
species caught from specific waterbodies or, in some cases,
from specific waterbody types (e.g., all lakes). An advisory may
be issued for the general population, including recreational
and subsistence fishers, or it may be issued specifically for
sensitive subpopulations such as pregnant women, nursing
mothers, and children. A consumption advisory is not a
regulation, but rather a voluntary recommendation issued to
help protect public health.
States typically issue five major types of advisories and bans
to protect both the general population and specific subpopu-
lations.
• No-consumption advisory for the general population -
Issued when levels of chemical contamination in fish or
wildlife pose a health risk to the general public. The general
population is advised to avoid eating certain types of locally
caught fish or wildlife.
• No-consumption advisory for sensitive subpopulations -
Issued when contaminant levels in fish or wildlife pose a
health risk to sensitive subpopulations (such as children and
pregnant women). Sensitive subpopulations are advised to
avoid eating certain types of locally caught fish or wildlife.
• Restricted-consumption advisory for the general
population - Issued when contaminant levels in fish or
wildlife may pose a health risk if too much fish or wildlife is
consumed. The general population is advised to limit eating
certain types of locally caught fish or wildlife.
• Restricted-consumption advisory for sensitive sub-
populations - Issued when contaminant levels in fish or
wildlife may pose a health risk if too much fish or wildlife
is consumed. Sensitive subpopulations are advised to limit
eating certain types of locally caught fish or wildlife.
• Commercial fishing ban - Issued when high levels of
contamination are found in fish caught for commercial
purposes. These bans prohibit the commercial harvest
and sale of fish and shellfish from a designated waterbody.
In addition to the five major types of advisories, states are
increasingly issuing notices of statewide advisories and safe
eating guidelines. A statewide advisory is issued to warn the
public of the potential human health risks from widespread
chemical contamination of certain species from particular
types of waterbodies (e.g., lakes, rivers, and/or coastal waters)
within the state. An advisory for each waterbody name or type
of waterbody may be listed as one advisory regardless of the
number of fish or water-dependent wildlife species affected or
the number of chemical contaminants detected. In contrast, a
safe eating guideline is issued to inform the public that fish
from specific waterbodies have been tested for chemical
contaminants, and the results have shown that specific species
of fish from these waters are safe to eat without consumption
restrictions.
2003 National Listing of Fish Advisories
Web Site
The 2003 National Listing of Fish Advisories web site lists
3,089 advisories in 48 states. The web site includes
• Information on species and size of fish or water-dependent
wildlife under advisory
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• Chemical contaminants identified in the advisory
• Geographic location of the waterbody
• Lake acreage or river miles under advisory
• Population for whom the advisory was issued
• Fish tissue residue data for 46 states and the District
of Columbia
• State and tribal contact information.
The web site can generate national, regional, and state maps
that summarize advisory information. Also included on the
web site are the names of each state contact, a phone
number, fax number, and e-mail address.
Synopsis of 2003 National Listing of Fish
Advisories
In past years, EPA has reported fish advisories based on the
number of advisories in effect; however, this does not provide
an indication of the geographic extent of the advisory. For
example, a waterbody-specific advisory may be issued to
cover a single waterbody (e.g., a 20-acre lake), while a single
statewide lake advisory can represent all lake acres within the
state's jurisdiction (up to 12,787,200 acres in one state).
Because of the dramatic range in the geographic size of lake
acres and river miles affected by a single advisory, the number
of advisories does not tell the full story of the geographic
extent of waters subject to state advice to limit fish consump-
tion. Thus, EPA is providing information on the total lake acres
and total river miles where advisories are currently in effect.
The EPA 2003 National Listing of Fish Advisories indicates that
states reported that 275 new fish advisories were issued in
2003, bringing the total number of advisories in effect to
3,089 in 2003 (Figure 1). Currently, the 3,089 advisories in
the national listing represent 35% of the nation's total lake
acreage and 24% of the nation's total river miles. Approxi-
mately 101,818 lakes (14,195,187 lake acres) and 846,310
river miles were under advisory in 2003. The percentages of
lake acres and river miles under advisory in 2003 in each state
are shown in Figure 2. In addition, 100% of the Great Lakes
and their connecting waters are also under advisory (Table 1).
The Great Lakes and their connecting waters are considered
separately from other waters and are not included in the
above calculations of total lake acres or river miles.
The increase in the lake acres and river miles under advisory
is due in part to an increase in the number of assessments of
chemical contaminants in fish and water-dependent wildlife
tissues and the states' increasing use of statewide advisories.
A statewide advisory is issued to warn the public of the poten-
tial for widespread contamination of specific species of fish or
water-dependent wildlife (e.g., turtles or waterfowl) in certain
types of waterbodies (e.g., lakes, rivers, or coastal waters).
Thirty-one states currently have statewide advisories (Table 2,
on page 4). Three states issued statewide advisories in 2003:
Montana and Washington each added statewide mercury
advice for lakes and rivers, and Hawaii added statewide
mercury advice for marine fish.
Figure 1
Total Number of Fish Consumption Advisories - 2003
NH = 9
MA = 122
Note: A statewide
advisory is issued to
warn the public of the
potential for wide-
spread contamination
of specific species in
certain types of water-
bodies. State advisory
data should not be
used for characterizing
geographic distribution
of chemical contami-
nants or for making
interstate comparisons.
D Advisories exist for specific waterbodies only
E3 Statewide lakes only advisory included in count
Q Statewide rivers only advisory included in count
E3 Statewide rivers and lakes advisory included in count
• Statewide coastal advisory included in count
D Statewide advisory for marine fish included in count
D No advisories for chemical contaminants
AS = 1 D VI = 0 D
GU = 0 D PR = 0 D
2003 Total = 3,089
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In addition to the Great Lakes, many other Great Waters
of the United States are currently under fish advisories for a
variety of pollutants. The Great Waters include not only the
Great Lakes but also Lake Champlain (PCBs and mercury), the
Chesapeake Bay, 28 National Estuary Program (NEP) sites, and
26 National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) sites.
Although the Chesapeake Bay is not under any advisories,
the Potomac, James, Back, Anacostia, and Piankatank rivers,
which connect to it, are all under advisories. Baltimore Harbor,
which also connects to the Chesapeake Bay, is under advisory
for chlordane and PCB contamination in fish and blue crabs.
At least some portions of 22 of the NEP and 16 of the NERRS
sites are currently under fish consumption advisories.
Fifteen states have issued fish advisories for all of their coastal
waters (Table 2, on page 4). Almost 71% of the coastline of
the United States (excluding Alaska) currently is under
advisory. Based on coastal size estimates from the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 92% of the Atlantic
coast and 100% of the Gulf coast was under advisory in 2003.
The Atlantic coast advisories have been issued for a wide
variety of chemical contaminants, including mercury, PCBs,
dioxins, and cadmium. All of the Gulf coast advisories have
been issued for mercury. No Pacific coast state has issued a
statewide advisory for any of its coastal waters, although
several local areas along the Pacific coast are under advisory
and Hawaii issued a statewide advisory in 2003 for marine fish.
Safe Eating Guidelines
EPA has been encouraging states to issue safe eating guidelines
when providing advisory information. In addition to issuing
Figure 2
Percentage of Lake Acres/River Miles
Currently Under Advisory
In 2003, approximately 35% of the nation's lake acres and 24% of the
nation's river miles were under fish consumption advisories.
Table 1. Fish Advisories Issued for the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
PCBs Dioxins Mercury Chlordane
Lake Superior
Lake Michigan
Lake Huron
Lake Erie
Lake Ontario
statewide advisories warning the public about chemical conta-
minants in fish tissue, states are increasingly issuing safe eating
guidelines to inform the public that fish from specific water-
bodies or specific species of fish have been tested for chemical
contaminants and have been shown to contain very low levels
of contaminants. By issuing safe eating guidelines, the states
are identifying waters or species for the public that are safe to
consume and promoting enjoyment of recreational fishing.
In 1993, the first year that the National Listing of Fish Adviso-
ries collected data on safe eating guidelines, there were only
20 such guidelines in effect. This number increased very slow-
ly until 2002, when 164 new safe eating guidelines were
issued. This 2002 increase represented almost half of all safe
eating guidelines issued since 1993. In 2003, an additional 47
safe eating guidelines were issued. Table 3 shows the trend in
the issuance of safe eating guidelines since 1993. Currently,
16 states have issued guidelines. The largest numbers of such
waterbody-specific guidelines have been issued by Georgia
(149), South Carolina (72), and Texas (47). Three states have
issued statewide guidelines. In 2001, Alaska issued a statewide
guideline to inform the public that all of Alaska's fish are safe
to eat without restrictions. In 2002, Wisconsin issued a safe
eating guideline for all lakes statewide for bluegill and other
sunfish, yellow perch, white and black crappie, and bullheads,
while Minnesota issued a similar guideline for all lakes state-
wide for panfish. However, there are a few waterbody-specific
exceptions to the safe eating guidelines, so consumers are
advised to review waterbody-specific information.
Currently, 66,578 miles of rivers (1.9%) and 4,529,417 lake
acres (11%) in the continental United States have safe eating
guidelines for at least one fish species. The number of these
guidelines is likely to grow as additional states identify safe
fishing waters or species (sunfish and other panfish) that do
not tend to accumulate chemical contaminants in their tissues
to the same extent as long-lived predatory species (large-
mouth bass, walleye, northern pike, catfish). These guidelines
will help direct the public toward making more informed
decisions about the waterbodies in which they fish and
healthier choices about the species that they choose to eat.
Bioaccumulative Pollutants
Although there are advisories in the United States for
40 chemical contaminants, most advisories have involved
Table 3. Total Safe Eating Guidelines Issued Since 1993
Year Issued
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
New Advisories
20
12
35
10
2
25
44
7
20
164
47
Cumulative Advisories
20
32
67
77
79
104
148
155
175
339
386
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five primary contaminants: mercury, PCBs, chlordane, dioxins,
and DDT. And while 76% of all advisories have been issued at
least in part because of mercury contamination, other chemi-
cal contaminants are also likely to be present at many of these
same advisory locations. These chemical contaminants accu-
mulate in the tissues of aquatic organisms at concentrations
many times higher than concentrations in the water. These
chemical contaminants also persist for relatively long periods
in sediments where bottom-dwelling animals can accumulate
them and pass them up the food chain to fish.
Table 2. Summary of Statewide Advisories by Waterbody Type and Year Issued
State
Alabama
Connecticut
Dist. of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Illinois
Indiana
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
New Hampshire
New jersey
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Texas
Vermont
Washington
Wisconsin
Lake
Mercury
PCBs
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
PCBs
Organo-
chlorine
pesticides
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
PCBs
Chlordane
Mi rex
DDT
Mercury-
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Issued
1996
1993
2002
2002
2000
1994
2002
1996
1993
1999
2001
2003
1995
1995
1994
2001
1997
2001
2002
1995
2003
2000
River
Mercury
PCBs
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
PCBs
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
PCBs
Organo-
chlorine
pesticides
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
PCBs
Chlordane
Mi rex
DDT
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Issued
1996
1993
2002
2002
1996
2000
1994
2002
1996
2001
2003
1995
1995
1994
2001
1997
2001
2002
1995
2003
2003
Coastal Waters
Mercury
PCBs
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury*
Mercury
Dioxins
Mercury
PCBs
PCBs
Mercury
Mercury
PCBs
PCBs
Cadmium
Dioxins
Cadmium
Dioxins
PCBs
Mercury
PCBs
Mercury
Mercury
Mercury
Issued
1996
1993
1993
2000
2003
1997
1994
1994
1998
1994
1993
1995
2000
1993
2001
1997
Concentrations of these contaminants in the tissues of aquatic
organisms may increase at each level of the food chain. As a
result, top predators in a food chain, such as largemouth bass
or walleye, may have concentrations of these chemicals in
their tissues that may be a million times higher than the
concentrations in the water. Mercury, PCBs, chlordane,
dioxins, and DDT (and its degradation products, DDE and
DDD) were at least partly responsible for almost 98% of all
fish consumption advisories in effect in 2003.
Mercury
Advisories for mercury increased by 222
in 2003. Forty-five states issued mercury
advisories in 2003. The increase in the
number of mercury advisories in 2003
can be attributed to the issuance of new
mercury advisories by 22 states. However,
almost 60% of the new advisories (128)
were issued by Minnesota. Indiana issued
17 new mercury advisories, and Louisiana
issued 10. In 2003, the geographic extent
of the states under advisory for mercury
was 13,068,990 lake acres and 766,872
river miles. The increase in acres and river
miles under advisory is a result of the
issuance of statewide mercury advisories by
Montana and Washington in 2003 and the
addition of rivers to Wisconsin's statewide
advisory.
"Hawaii has a statewide advisory for mercury in marine fish.
Currently, 21 states (Connecticut, Florida,
Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Mary-
land, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota,
Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New
Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and
Wisconsin) have issued statewide advisories
for mercury in freshwater lakes and/or
rivers. Eleven states (Alabama, Florida,
Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts,
Mississippi, North Carolina, Rhode Island,
South Carolina, and Texas) have statewide
advisories for mercury in their coastal
waters. Hawaii has a statewide advisory for
mercury in marine fish. There are also two
tribal statewide advisories in effect for
mercury in freshwater and marine fish
(including lobster) by the Micmac tribe of
Maine.
PCBs
There were 884 advisories in 2003 for
PCBs. Thirty-nine states (including
American Samoa) issued PCB advisories in
2003. Twelve states added new advisories
for PCBs in 2003; however, the increase in
advisories for PCBs is primarily due to new
advisories issued by three states—Indiana,
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New Jersey, and Illinois—which account for almost 60% of all
new PCB advisories. There were 2,079,985 lake acres and
133,876 river miles under PCB advisories. Four states (District
of Columbia, Indiana, Maryland, and New York) issued
statewide freshwater (river and/or lake) advisories for PCBs.
Seven other states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island) issued
PCB advisories for all of their coastal marine waters.
Chlordane
Many advisories for the pesticide chlordane have been
rescinded in recent years, primarily because all uses of chlor-
dane were banned in the United States in 1988 and the
compound continues to degrade in the environment. There
were 89 chlordane advisories in 2003 covering 847,259 lake
acres and 54,372 river miles under a chlordane advisory in
2003. The changes in 2003 were primarily due to the rescind-
ing of chlordane advisories in New Jersey and Colorado.
Dioxlns
There were 90 advisories for dioxins in 2003. New Jersey and
Florida both added dioxin advisories in 2003. There were
2,909 lake acres and 1,950 river miles under a dioxin advisory.
Although dioxins are one of the five major contaminants that
have resulted in the issuance of health advisories, the geo-
graphic extent of the contamination is extremely limited
compared to that for the other four major contaminants. This
is due in part to the limited monitoring of dioxins resulting
from the high cost of chemical analysis. Also, dioxin contami-
nation has been associated primarily with specific locations
near pulp and paper plants using a bleach kraft process, in
addition to other types of chemical manufacturing facilities or
incineration facilities.
DDT
Although the use of DDT, an organochlorine pesticide, has
been banned since 1975, there were 52 advisories in effect for
DDT (and its degradation products, DDE and ODD) in 2003.
There are currently 865,901 lake acres and 68,793 river miles
under advisory for DDT. California had the greatest number of
DDT advisories active in 2003 (14), followed by Texas and
Delaware with 5 each. During 2003, Arizona and Michigan
issued new advisories for DDT. New York has a statewide
advisory for multiple contaminants, including DDT.
Other Pollutants
Although the five major pollutants account for almost 98%
of the total number of advisories, the remaining 2% of all
fish advisories are caused by a variety of other groups of
chemicals. These include heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium,
chromium, copper, lead, selenium, and zinc) and organochlo-
rine pesticides (aldrin, dieldrin, heptachlor epoxide, kepone,
lindane, mirex, and toxaphene), as well as a myriad of other
chemical compounds, including creosote, polyaromatic hydro-
carbons (PAHs), hexachlorobenzene, pentachlorophenol, and
vinyl chloride, to name just a few. While these other chemical
contaminants represent only 2% of the total number of
advisories, the extent of the contamination they cause slightly
exceeds the lake acres and river miles under advisory for DDT.
In 2003, 1,218,252 lake acres and 90,446 river miles were
under advisories for other pollutants. New advisories in 2003
for these other pollutants were issued by South Carolina
(tributyltin) and Idaho (lead). The majority of lake acres and
river miles under advisory for other chemical contaminants are
the result of a statewide advisory in New York for multiple
contaminants, including mirex, and a regional advisory in
Mississippi for toxaphene.
Wildlife Advisories
In addition to advisories for fish and shellfish, the National
Listing of Fish Advisories web site also contains several water-
dependent wildlife advisories. Four states have issued con-
sumption advisories for turtles: Arizona (3), Massachusetts (1),
Minnesota (8), and New York (statewide advisory). One state
(Massachusetts) has an advisory for frogs. New York has a
statewide advisory for waterfowl. Arkansas has an advisory for
wood ducks. Utah has an advisory for American coot and
ducks. Maine issued a statewide advisory for cadmium in
moose liver and kidneys. In 2003, no new advisories were
issued for water-dependent wildlife.
National Advice Concerning Mercury in Fish
In 2004, the EPA and the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) issued advice for women who might become pregnant,
women who are pregnant, nursing mothers, and young
children. The national advice is not included in the statistics
presented in this fact sheet.
Fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthy diet. Fish
and shellfish contain high-quality protein and other essential
nutrients, are low in saturated fat, and contain omega-3 fatty
acids. A well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fish and
shellfish can contribute to heart health and children's proper
growth and development. So women and young children in
particular should include fish or shellfish in their diets due to
the many nutritional benefits.
However, nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury.
For most people, the risk from mercury by eating fish and
shellfish is not a health concern. Yet some fish and shellfish
contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn
baby or young child's developing nervous system. The risks
from mercury in fish and shellfish depend on the amount of
fish and shellfish eaten and the levels of mercury in the fish
and shellfish. Therefore, the FDA and the EPA are advising
women who may become pregnant, pregnant women,
nursing mothers, and young children to avoid some types of
fish and eat fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.
By following these three recommendations for selecting and
eating fish or shellfish, women and young children will receive
the benefits of eating fish and shellfish and be confident that
they have reduced their exposure to the harmful effects of
mercury.
• Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish
because they contain high levels of mercury.
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• Eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety
of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.
— Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in
mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock,
and catfish.
— Another commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white") tuna
has more mercury than canned light tuna. Eat up to
6 ounces (one average meal) of albacore tuna per week.
• Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by
family and friends in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal
areas. If no advice is available, eat up to 6 ounces (one
average meal) per week of fish you caught from local
waters, but don't consume any other fish during that week.
Follow these same recommendations when feeding fish
and shellfish to your young child, but serve smaller portions.
More information on the joint federal advisory is available
at www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish.
For More Information
For more information on specific advisories within a state,
contact the appropriate state agency listed on the National
Listing of Fish Advisories web site at www.epa.gov/
watersdence/fish. This is particularly important for advisories
that recommend that consumers restrict their consumption
of fish from certain waterbodies. State health departments
provide more specific information for restricted-consumption
advisories on the appropriate meal size and meal frequency
(number of meals per week or month) that is considered safe
to eat.
For more information on how to reduce exposure, consult
EPA's brochure "What You Need to Know About Mercury in
Fish and Shellfish," available in several languages on EPA's fish
advisory web site: www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish.
For more information on the National Fish and Wildlife
Contamination Program, contact:
Jeff Bigler
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Science and Technology (4305T)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Phone 202-566-0389
e-mail bigler.jeff@epa.gov
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